When the name Lionel Messi crosses your mind, it likely invokes thoughts of astonishing goals, record-breaking achievements, and footballing excellence.
Beyond being a football legend, Messi is undoubtably a global icon.
However, something rather surprising lurks behind his victories, his endorsements, and every step he takes on the football field.
Insurance.
Even the greatest footballer of all time requires protection. And not the regular kind of protection. We’re talking about multi-million dollar policies safeguarding Messi’s legs, image and income.
Let us examine the crucial role insurance plays in preserving Messi’s legacy as well as livelihood. His life consists of far more than just football; from income protection to body part coverage, he requires a great deal.
One of the most astonishing things about Messi is the fact that his left leg is insured for more than $900 million.
Why? Because it needs no convincing. It is one of the most gifted limbs in sports history that enables the magic to happen. It powers his dribbles, his shots, and even his passes.
This type of policy is known as body part insurance. It is not surprising to hear that elite entertainers and athletes have it, as these policies are designed to compensate people whose careers sustain an injury which means they will no longer be able to earn money.
For Messi, an injury to his left leg wouldn’t just be a medical issue, but rather, a matter that could alter the entire timeline of football history.
Beyond Sports – Insuring the Messi Brand
To put it simply, Messi is more than a mere footballer. He is a literal walking brand.
As noted:
He has endorsement deals with leasing giants such as Adidas, Pepsi, and Lays.
Shares as well as endorsements across international borders.
There is also revenue from selling goods, making appearances, etc.
What an individual’s brand entails is also Messi’s personal brand. The difference is, it is insured. This means that protections in cases of deeming loss of reputation, damages to contracts, or even unpredictable loss of income are in place.
Consider a hypothetical situation, whether real or imagined where he finds himself embroiled in a scandal or something unexpected happens which forces him to retire. The insurance takes care of anything that needs to be covered, even when there are no public appearances or endorsements. Neither do they need to fear that Messi, along with his business interests be exiled from endorsement after endorsement.
It serves an enormous purpose for the business side to stardom.
Messi’s health in terms of physical well being is a major concern for Argentine national team and Inter Miami as a club, and they pay a lot of attention to that.
Team Coverage – Clubs and National Insurance Policies
Clubs, for example Inter Miami, insure players for:
Cover for damages due to injuries.
Coverage of damages arising from accidents.
Damages to contracts due to performance.
Unlike clubs, national teams generally take out temporary insurance when players are lent out for tournaments like the World Cup or Copa América.
If an athlete gets injured during international competitions, this insurance assists in making sure that their parent club does not incur a monetary or operational deficit.
Even for a one of a kind sports hero such as Messi, the ground rules still stand.
Similar to every athlete, he has a standard health insurance that covers his treatment, surgeries, and rehabilitation meetings. When he flies out of the country for matches or endorsement deals, he is also provided with travel insurance that caters for:
– Medical emergencies
– Flights running late
– Lost luggage
– Canceled trips
His club, agent or sponsors meticulously arrange these policies so that any unforeseen back up plans are taken care of.
Despite the celebrity status, Messi has maintained an astounding system that allows him to juggle all these responsibilities seamlessly and insurance plays a huge role in this.
Aside from covering up these possibilities, Messi’s policies ensure that life is covered on all ends which is essential when things go wrong civilly and unexpectadliy like in an accident.
When it comes down to it, an unpredictable lifestyle can bring odds that one might not want to face when income and lifestyle are on the line. Life changes are not easy — and when it comes to life being simple, insurance steps in.
Why It Matters for You
It’s not like we’re all sporting legends like Messi, but your left foot might not be as legendary. What really matters is:
– Work requires a car
– Good health keeps you going
– Head provides a shield to the family
– Income paves the way for the future
Wanting to safeguard all these things doesn’t mean one wants to be famous. It’s only responsible and if Messi anything else these days turns right us too.
If even icons such as Messi require insurance for security, perhaps we ought to rethink our particular safety nets.